1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to filling devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a device for filling a container containing a carbonated beverage with a gas, under pressure, so as to preserve the carbonation of the carbonated beverage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that upon the opening of a bottle or can of carbonated beverage, the beverage will quickly lose its carbonation and become "flat". A decarbonated, flat beverage is, of course, unappealing to a typical consumer. As a result, the consumer ordinarily discards the remaining beverage left in the container which has become flat after opening.
In order to reduce the wastefulness of discarding decarbonated beverage, has been a practice of the bottling industry to bottle the carbonated beverage in relatively small size bottles such as 61/2 ounce bottles, with the intent being that with such small sized bottles, all of the beverage contained therein would be consumed by the consumer before becoming flat. As the public became increasingly tolerant of the need to quickly consume the beverage after opening the container, the bottle manufacturers began bottling the carbonated beverage in larger sized containers such as 10 and 16 ounce bottles.
The great majority of the beverage bottles heretofore discussed were highly durable, and were designed to be returned to the bottling company for cleaning and subsequent refilling with the beverage. In order to eliminate the need for having to return the bottles for refilling, the bottling manufacturers began to bottle the carbonated beverage in 12 ounce cans, and then 12 ounce non-returnable bottles.
Unfortunately, the increased cost of bottling has dramatically increased the cost of the bottled beverage to the consumer. As a result, many bottling companies have elected to bottle their beverage in relatively large size containers such as quart size returnable and nonreturnable glass bottles and two liter disposable plastic bottles. Obviously, with such large size containers, the consumer cannot ordinarily consume the entire contents thereof. It is therefore necessary for the consumer to reseal the bottle and store it in a refrigerator for later use. Obviously, each time the bottle is opened, a certain amount of carbonation escapes from the carbonated beverage. It is usually the case that the carbonated beverage becomes flat before the consumer is able to consume all of the beverage. Accordingly, a substantial amount of beverage is unnecessarily wasted.
In view of the above, there presently exists a need in the carbonated beverage industry for a device for maintaining the carbonation of a beverage in a container until the beverage is completely consumed by the consumer. It has been suggested that some of the soda water dispensers such as those illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,921,711, 2,705,578, 2,204,015, and 1,263,278, could be adapted to satisfy such need in the carbonated beverage industry. Unfortunately, upon review of the above mentioned patents, it is quickly seen that none of them are designed to be quickly removed entirely from the container to permit the beverage to be poured from the container, and then reinstalled on the container to recharge the container and maintain the carbonation of the remaining beverage.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides and improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the carbonated beverage art.
It is another object of this invention to provide a device for maintaining the carbonation of a beverage stored within a container.
Another object of this invention to provide a device which may be repeatedly used to maintain the carbonation of a beverage when the container containing the beverage is repeatedly opened to dispense a portion of the carbonated beverage.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device for maintaining the carbonation of a carbonated beverage which is easily and quickly removed entirely from the container containing the carbonated beverage so as to permit the beverage to be easily poured from the container and/or to permit the device to be quickly and easily installed on another container for use.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device for maintaining the carbonation of a beverage which includes a compressed gas cylinder and a valve means to enable the consumer to charge the container containing the carbonated beverage with the gas thereby maintaining the carbonation of the beverage.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device for maintaining the carbonation of a beverage which further includes a pressure gauge for indicating to the consumer the pressure inside the container thereby enabling the consumer to properly pressurize the container without over-charging or under-charging the carbonated beverage therein.
Another object of this invention is to provide a device for maintaining the carbonation of a beverage wherein the pressure gauge is operatively connected to the valve such that the pressure inside the container is maintained at a predetermined amount necessary to charge the beverage to the proper pressure.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner of modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.